My First 'Official' Althea Haul!

K-Beauty shopping website Althea was launched at the time when I was already going back and forth to Korea and enjoying the perks of my multiple entry Korean visa. I would shop for Korean cosmetics at actual stores in Myeongdong, Hongdae, or Sinsadong, buying stocks enough to last until my next trip.

I didn't fully appreciate Althea - or any other K-Beauty shopping website for that matter - until I became part of their Beauty Ambassador Community, fondly known as Althea Angels. As an Althea Angel, I got to rediscover my love for online shopping and the convenience of buying everything that I need with just my credit card and a click of a button. Even more so, I was also impressed by Althea's wide range of products, competitive pricing (they're cheaper than most shopping websites), fast delivery (my package arrived six days after I placed my order) and impeccable customer service.

Now one of the perks of being an Althea Angel is getting reward points on certain occasions. We received reward points as part of our Welcome Gift, which I then used to pay for my order. Althea members also receive reward points with their first purchase, and can earn more points through promotional activities at Althea's social media sites.

That being said, here's a sneak peek of my first 'official' haul from Althea. :)

My first 'official' Althea haul!

Skin & Lab Dr. Vita Clinic White Vita-C Essence.
"An essence that uses a more stabilized form of Vitamin C, along with green tea seed oil, spider silk protein and sea buckthorn extract to promote hydration, strengthen skin and provide soothing benefits. Regular use of the essence fades blemishes and dark spots, resulting in a refined, more flawless complexion."

Skin & Lab Dr. Vita Clinic White Vita-C Essence, Php 730.

I've recently begun incorporating Vitamin C in my skincare routine, and I thought this essence was a great way to start. All the great feedback that I have read about this product convinced me to give it a try, and I'm thrilled to see what this essence can do for my skin!

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Color Clay Mask.
"A sebum-controlling color clay mask with different colors and functions. Contains Jeju volcanic cluster to cleanse pores; combats different skin concerns; easily incorporated by multi-masking."

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Color Clay Mask (Brightening), Php 350.

One of the first few skincare products that got me into this K-Beauty bandwagon was Innisfree's Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask.  Since then, clay masks have become part and parcel of my skincare routine, and after emptying another jar of the Pore Clay Mask, I thought of switching to the colored version this time around. My penchant for vitamin C-infused products made me choose the Yellow variant. It's formulated with Vitamin C to brighten the skin and make it more radiant.

Nature Republic Argan Essential Deep Care Hair Pack.
"This hair pack contains Argan Oil which provides excellent features such as moisturizing, repairing, nourishing, and gives the outer texture a silky feel. It targets dry and damaged hair that has gone through multiple perms, hair coloring, harsh dryers, and constant exposure to the sun. Effective for split end and brittle hair."

Nature Republic Argan Essential Deep Care Hair Pack, Php 300.

Now this is one of my favorite hair care products of all time. This hair pack helped my then-blonde tresses survive the harsh Korean winter, and prevented it from becoming dry, dull, and brittle. I've been using this product on a weekly basis since I discovered it in 2015, making sure I always have a tub or two (sometimes three) at home. 

Prreti Be Moist Moisturizing Stick.
"Pocket-sized glide-on stick made with plant-based oils to protect and nourish the skin, specifically the area around the eyes. 

Prreti Be Moist Moisturizing Stick, Php 190.

A relatively new product on the Althea website, the Prreti Be Moist Moisturizing Stick promises 'nutrition, vitality, and elasticity' for dry and dull skin. You know I'm obsessed with anything that can make my dark and often tired-looking under-eyes less prominent, so I added this product to cart. For Php 190, I thought this was worth trying. I just hope this product works!  

Unpa Bubi Bubi Lip Scrub.
"Flaky lips no more thanks to this innovative lip scrub from Korean brand, Unpa.
Natural lip scrub made with natural AHAs, papaya extract and grapefruit extracts to scrub away dead skin cells and leave lips so soft. Once applied, gel bubbles up into an exfoliator and dissolves away dry skin."

Bubi Bubi Lip, Php 470.

This bubble-forming lip scrub piqued my curiosity after I saw a demo video of it on one of Althea's social media sites a few months back. Althea had some sort of promotional offer last week, and this lip scrub was among the products that you can receive for free (the other two were a set of sheet masks and a hair bleaching set) with any purchase that you make on the Althea website. Me so lucky!

Real Fresh Skin Detoxer Set.

"Althea's Real Fresh Skin Detoxer is a 10-second, 2-in-1 cleanser pack that showcases real, fresh ingredients and incorporates them into a system that allows a deep, clarifying cleanse while boosting the skin with nutrients and goodness. This product leaves the skin feeling fresh and looking smooth for a healthy, happy complexion!"

Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxer Set, Php 990 (introductory price).

With my recommendation and tons of positive reviews on the Althea website, my friend decided to give these cleanser packs a try. This set is hers actually, and I hope she enjoys both products as much as I do. You can read my review of the Real Fresh Skin Detoxer Set here.

I'll be doing a review of the other products soon! Stay tuned! :)

Spotlight | Nature Republic Pure Shine Melting Tint.

Happy Holidays, everyone and hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Ours was relatively quiet and uneventful, save for the traditional Noche Buena (Christmas Eve dinner) with my siblings at Mum's (our) house. Christmas Day was spent at home, since Yue's circumcision wound is still healing and he refuses to dress up properly and leave the house. Yes, I had him circumcised a few days before Christmas, earlier than we had originally planned, because of his recurrent UTI.

That being said, here's another product review, which I had promised to do more of in my previous post. These are the Pure Shine Melting Tints from Nature Republic, which I bought simultaneously with the Pure Shine Mascara. These tints were also on sale, and you know there's no chance in hell that I would pass up on 1+1 sale events, all the more if they're lip products. 

Nature Republic Pure Shine Melting Tint.

The Pure Shine Melting Tints come in a cute, pen-type packaging. One thing I found really quirky about this product is the clicker at the bottom, which you need to press to get the product out. It took me awhile to figure this out while swatching the tints at home because the sales lady that assisted me during my purchase did not inform me about this 'clicker pen' concept, lol.

Works like a clicker pen.

There are five shades in the Pure Shine Melting Tint line, as seen on the photo below. 

Shade options for the Nature Republic Pure Shine Melting Tint.

However, only shades #01, #03, and #05 were in stock at the Nature Republic store that I went to. I'm not a huge fan of orange lip colors, so I didn't even consider buying shade #01.

Shade number indicated on the seal. 

Shade number also indicated on the tube, along with product information written in Hangul.

Shade #03 is a bright, vibrant shade of pink, while Shade #05 is a vivid reddish shade that straddles between pink and purple.

Shade #03 Hot Pink on the left, #05 Cherry Orchid on the right. 

Shade #05 Cherry Orchid on the left, #03 Hot Pink on the right.

Both shades are nicely pigmented, especially Cherry Orchid, which has a very solid color despite its semi-glossy finish. With one swipe, you get a sheer, rosy tint, and as you layer them on, you get a more vibrant and intense color that's somewhat comparable to a lipstick. The color stays put for about four hours or so before it starts to fade into a soft, rosy stain on your lips.

Swatched, indoor lighting - Hot Pink on the left, Cherry Orchid on the right.

Swatched, natural light - Hot Pink on the left, Cherry Orchid on the right.

I especially love how these Pure Shine Melting Tints glide on smoothly without the sticky, oily feel, and how they make your lips feel soft and moisturized. They also have a soft, fruity scent akin to a grapefruit, which I find quite nice.

Hot Pink when worn.

Cherry Orchid when worn.

The best part about this purchase? These Melting Tints are very affordable, even at its regular price of 5900 won (around Php 300 or $6).  I got both tints for the price of one (remember, I'm a sucker for 1+1 promos), and yes, that's quite a steal for such a lovely lip product. 

Products used:
FACE: Beyond Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base
Nature Republic Botanical Stick Concealer,
The Cellin Essence Cushion.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Mascara,
Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara - Volume.
CHEEKS: SkinFood Sugar Cookie Blush in Bebe Pink.
LIPS: Nature Republic Pure Shine Melting Tint in 03 Hot Pink.

Spotlight | Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara.

 I have a lot of catching up to do in terms of blog posts (way too many backlogs and pending product reviews), and I am so glad we're finally on a school break. I now have the time to sit in front of my laptop and finally write! Yay! I'll try to finish as many product reviews as I can over the holidays; we don't have travel plans as of the moment and we'll probably be stuck at home because the weather is absolutely crazy these days.

Moving on, I'll be doing a quick review of this mascara which I bought on a whim last spring - the Pure Shine Mascara - Volume from Nature Republic.

Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara.

I chanced upon a 1+1 Sale event in one of the Nature Republic stores in Myeongdong and this mascara was among the (many) makeup products that were on sale during my visit. They were tagged at 5900 won (around Php 300 or $6) for 2 mascaras. I bought a few wands of this (because you know I get a little crazy whenever I see/hear the word 'sale', lol), along with several other items which I will also be blogging about in the coming days.

The 01 indicates that this is the 'Volume' variant. (02 is 'Curling'.)

The Pure Shine Mascara doesn't come in a box and there's hardly any English text on the tube, so you really can't get much information about the product from its packaging alone. I guess the only pertinent information you'll get is the '01' on the seal, which indicates that this is the 'Volume' type. ('02' is for the 'Curling' type.)

Mostly Hangul text printed on the tube.

I looked it up on the brand's official website and Nature Republic describes this product as an 'instant volumizing mascara which lifts and thickens every single lash without weighing it down'.

The mascara wand and tube.

It comes with a pretty basic wand with a normal-looking brush applicator. The website, however, describes this as a 'chubby volume brush which gives the eyelash volume up'. I beg to disagree because the brush applicator is rather slender with thin and fine bristles. It also has a slim tip which makes it easy to apply mascara on the bottom lashes and on the lashes on the corners of the eye.

A closer look at the brush applicator.

Now here's the mascara in action.

Swatch, indoor lighting.

Swatch, natural light. 

While I do have naturally long lashes (thank you parents for bestowing them unto me), I like how they appear even longer with just a coat or two of the Pure Shine Mascara. 

Without mascara.

With Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara.

Its formula is lightweight and quick-drying, which neither clumps nor flakes. The product also lives up to its name as it gave my lashes a bit of shine. It can also hold up a nice curl, which I wasn't really expecting - after all, this isn't the 'Curling' variant.

Without mascara.

With Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara.

This mascara, however, isn't waterproof so I might have issues with this product when the weather becomes hot and humid. On the bright side, you won't be needing a separate mascara remover for this product. Just the usual water and cleansing foam/gel will do.

Products used:
FACE: Beyond Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base,
Nature Republic Botanical Stick Concealer,
The Cellin Essence Cushion.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner,
Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara - Volume.
CHEEKS: SkinFood Sugar Cookie Blush in Bebe Pink.
LIPS: Nature Republic Pure Shine Melting Tint in 03 Hot Pink.

All in all, this impulse buy is one that I certainly do not regret. The extra wands that I bought will make great stocking stuffers for Christmas, too! :)

Spotlight | Nature Republic Nail Polish Remover.

If there's one thing I've learned from riding the Seoul subway, it's that there's a Nature Republic store at almost every station. If you're following me on Instagram or on my Facebook page, you know I have been to quite a handful of tourist spots and shopping districts here in Seoul.

At the Nature Republic branch at Ttukseom Station.

All those places I have traveled to via subway, and I kid you not, Nature Republic is probably the only Korean cosmetics brand with a shop in every station I've been to. I wander through some of the stores from time to time, just to check if they have new items on sale. A few weeks back I bought this bottle of Nail Polish Remover, because my manicure was already in a sorry state.

Nature Republic Nail (Polish) Remover.

Back home, I wouldn't bother removing my nail polish as my friendly neighborhood manicurista would do the honors of taking them off for me. But alas, here in Seoul, manicures and pedicures do not come cheap! Imagine shelling out 25000 Korean won for a basic manicure?! That's almost a thousand pesos when converted - enough to get me a full body massage, footspa, manicure, and pedicure in the Philippines!

Mostly Hangul text at the back of the bottle.

So for the meantime, I had to make do with just bare nails. Don't tell me to do my own nails, because I can't even use a nipper properly for the life of me. Haha!

My manicure was in this state about a week after we arrived in Seoul.

I bought this Nail Polish Remover for 2000 won (around $2 or Php 80 when converted). There was another variant on display called Extreme Nail (Polish) Remover, which was more expensive by a thousand won. I went for the cheaper one, since my nail polish isn't one of those hard-to-remove, glittery kind.

The nail polish remover, uncapped.

This Nail Polish Remover comes with a child-proof cap - the kind that you have to push down then turn counter-clockwise to open. It also has this sort-of plastic stopper on the cap so that it covers the hole on the bottle and seals it tightly to prevent vaporization.

Just a decent amount of nail polish remover on a cotton ball will do.

To use, simply out a decent amount of the substance on a cotton ball. No need to soak it! Let it sit on top your nails for a bit, then the nail polish will come off. None of the violent rubbing that you need to do when using 10-peso nail polish removers bought from sari-sari stores, lol.

Ta-daa! 

I love how this product removes nail polish effortlessly, without making the nails dry and yellowish. None of the chemical scent either, as this product smells like green tea. Yes, the Elizabeth Arden Green Tea kind. :)

Have you tried this nail polish remover before? What's your usual brand of nail polish remover? :)

Spotlight | Nature Republic Hand and Nature Hand Cream.

Nature Republic had a Buy One, Take One promo for the Hand and Nature Hand Cream a few months back, which was the main reason why I included this in my cart (along with the Bulgarian Rose Toner and the Provence Long Lasting Lipstick which I have previously reviewed in this blog.)

Hand and Nature Hand Creams.

They originally sell for Php 375 (around $8) each, which I find a tad too expensive for such a small 30 mL tube. But getting two tubes for the price of one is of course, a totally different story. :)

Up close.

I wanted to get two different variants (there are actually 18 variants in this hand cream line), but the sales personnel told me that they have to be the same variant to qualify for the promo. So there, I ended up with two tubes of Vanilla - my scent of choice when it comes to lotions and hand creams. 

Vanilla, my love. :)

The Nature Republic Hand and Nature Hand Cream contains 15% shea butter to moisturize and nourish the skin.

Vanilla + Shea Butter. :)

I love its light and silky texture, and how it's easily absorbed by the skin. It's also non-greasy, and does a good job of keeping your hands moisturized.

Creamy goodness. 

As for the scent, it smells a lot like Bath and Body Works' Warm Vanilla Sugar - sweet, without being too cloying. The scent, however, does not last through the day. It fades into a subtle scent after an hour or so, unlike other hand cream brands that can actually double up as perfume.

Now here's the thing about the Hand and Nature Hand Cream. They're actually EXO-endorsed, with some of the variants being the 'scent of choice' of the EXO members. Turns out, mine is Lay's choice, and surprisingly, Lay happens to be my cousin's bias. 

Find your bias' choice!

And for a limited time only, these hand creams are available in a completely different packaging that EXO fans would definitely lust, drool, and swoon over (haha!).

Limited Edition EXO Hand Cream set.

I have no idea how much these cost here in the Philippines, but in Korea, they're sold at 19800 won per set (around Php 800 or $18). If I were an EXO fan, I'd definitely buy these. Take note of the word 'if', lol! :)

Spotlight | Nature Republic Bulgarian Rose Moisture Toner.

Having heard good things about Nature Republic's Bulgarian Rose skincare line, I took the chance to purchase the Moisture Toner the last time I visited the Nature Republic store at Festival Supermall. The skincare line also includes an emulsion, an essence, and a moisture cream. However, I decided not to buy the entire line as I still have tons of creams and essences from various Korean brands, stocked at home.

Bulgarian Rose Moisture Toner.

The Nature Republic Bulgarian Rose Moisture Toner comes in a pink plastic bottle with a silver twist cap. I believe they come in one size only (155 mL) and sell for Php 255 per bottle. The packaging is very simple and straight-forward, yet comes off as elegant and feminine.

The silver cap gives a vintage vibe to it.

Sealed. :)

The clear-colored toner contains rose water, which is popular for its wide range of benefits to the skin. This includes moisturizing, soothing, and rejuvenating the skin.

Hangul text at the back of the bottle.

Filled with anti-oxidants and various vitamins, rose water also nourishes the skin and can help prevent signs of aging. 

Lovely rose prints on the side.

Unlike most toners that have a watery consistency, this particular toner has a slightly thicker, gel-like consistency - definitely a plus if you have dry skin. The best part? This product smells divine!

Comes in one size only - 155 mL.

What I love:

- The scent - beautiful, feminine, and light.

- Simple yet elegant packaging.

- Does a good job of moisturizing the skin.

- Soothes and softens the skin.

- No break-outs, safe for sensitive skin.

- Affordable price.

What you might not like:

- None that I can think of (except for the fact that practically everything in the bottle is written in Hangul).

Now here's a bit of trivia about rose water. 

Rose hydrosol (aka rose water) is derived from an intricate process. Small batches of rose buds are steamed in copper distilleries and ultimately release a volatile therapeutic compound into the water. The essential oil is drawn off, and rose water - containing micro molecules of essential oil and constituents from the flower - is captured drop by drop.
Amazing, isn't it? :)

Have you tried this product, or any other skincare products with rose water? How was your experience?